Seityrn: Let's get this over with: We don't own Bakugan

But I do own Mark and Syphile… and Dezyn.

PS: The Nashida clan here is purely fictional. If there is anyone out there of the same clan, it's purely coincidental! Don't sue me.

Chapter 10

I made my way into the central chamber and dropped Dan into his holding room. I gazed into the other empty rooms around Syphile's quarters. These were specifically designed for our… 'guests'. Syphile's prisoners cannot break out of this place for the entire rooms are made of nano-enchanced glass. Such things she planned all these years.

I placed my left hand in my waist, trying to find a small satchel. Once I found it, I dug my hand inside. The satchel held a few balls with names written on it.

The names of my next victims: The brawlers' and Dr. Michael's in particular.

I reached for a ball and pulled it out. The name written delighted me.

'Chan'

Now, time to hunt.

*****************************

"Shun, I'm scared" Syphile stated "What if Dezyn finds us here?"

"Don't worry. I'll take care of him. Now calm yourself. What if we try to pass some time?"

"How are we going to do that?"

"I know! Why not recall how we were before all of this began?"

Years earlier (sometime after Naga's defeat)

"*sigh* Back to the usual things here, buddy."

"True, but let's not forget the times we had."

"Right… Well, see ya!" Dan said as he logged out

Seeing nothing worth doing here on my room, I went downstairs to tell my grandfather that I'm heading out to the forest.

"Go. I believe that you can take care of yourself." He replied

I headed towards the lake in the forest to reflect. That's what I do when I feel alone. Once I got there, I stared at the beautiful scenery. The lush, green flora. The clear blue sky. The sapphire waters. Then, I noticed I absentmindedly brought a large towel. I might take a dive later…

Suddenly, a silver haired girl emerged from a nearby bush and fell into the lake. I immediately rushed in to get her out of the water. I noticed that she was unconscious as I dragged her out.

'She might have passed out, or collapsed.' I thought. 'How'd she end up here in the first place?'

"So much for relaxing…" I said aloud

I then planned to carry her home, but I first need to tell my grandfather about this incident. It's awkward to come home with someone in my arms right? Considering that I just came from the lake. As I lifted her from the water, she suddenly awakened and started waving her arms hysterically. Her actions made us both fall into the water. Yep, I just took a dive. I stood and tried to help her up, but she rather seemed… in a trance. After a few seconds, she fainted again. And if that couldn't be bad, the once clear sky now became gray with thunderclouds. I hastily took the girl from the water and headed into a nearby cave. Before the rain fell, I managed to gather a number of firewood and some food.

Night time then came, as well as the strong rain. I rushed to the cave. Luckily, it offers a decent protection against the forces of nature. Plus, a spring flows inside.

I dropped what I managed to find and started making fire. I decided to look at the girl for a while. Half an hour passed when she then began to rise.

"Good… You're awake." I said as I changed my focus and stared at the fire

"Shun… Kazami?" The girl said as she stared at my direction

"So, you know about me?"

"Ungh… Yes" She shook her head "Where am I?! What happened to me!?"

"You are?"

"Answer me first!"

"Not until you tell me your name first"

"Fine! *scoff* I'm Syphile. Now, explain!"

"Calm please… You suddenly collapsed and fell into a lake. I tried to rescue you, but you began to frantically wave your arms, causing us to fall into the water. Then, it threatened to rain. That's why we are here in this cave. "

"Oh… I guess I owe you my life and an apology for earlier… it's just. "

"It's just what?"

"Never mind"

I looked at Syphile and noticed that her clothes are still wet. I looked at myself and saw the same thing.

"Hey Syphile, if I may call you that, why don't we take our clothes off and dry them by the fire before we…"

"Achooo!"

"get sick." I finished

"Good idea…But don't look!"

"*sigh* Alright… " I agreed then whispered to myself "women"

After she placed her clothes by the warm fire, I threw her the towel. Then, I asked her

"How did you get here?"

"I…actually, I don't know. I was merely walking alone in the city and then… everything was a huge blank. The next thing I knew was waking up here."

"Oh… don't you have a family?"

"Family? My birth family casted me out and I was taken in by a friend. I spent time there with a surrogate brother. But my friend vanished. And my brother… "

"Sorry I asked. Where do you plan to go now?"

"Nowhere. I have no idea." She sorrowfully answered as she bowed her head

"Don't worry. I'll give my best to ask my grandfather to let you stay with us"

"Thank you but…"

"Don't worry. It's just fine" I reassured her "Why don't we have something to eat? I managed to gather a few fruits before the rain began"

"Oh thanks! But…Why? Why are you so kind to me?"She asked

"I don't know myself; but I feel light when I'm with you."

She smiled at me, like saying "Same here"

"Uh, Shun?"

"Yes?"

"Aren't you going to take your clothes off." she paused. I noticed her blush before continuing "I mean… didn't you said that we might get sick?"

"Yeah… I totally forgot."

After the meal, I sat beside her. She surrounded me with the towel. Now, the towel was the only protection we have against the wind. My heart began pounding fast. 'Why?' I asked myself inside.

"Good night Shun!"

"Yeah… Good night too, Syphile"

The next morning

I rose early from my slumber, only to be surprised when I noticed that I was embracing my new friend. I quickly withdrew my arms and said to myself 'Don't let anyone know about this. Especially Alice'

I checked our clothes, and sure enough, they were dry. I put on my clothes, and waited for Syphile to awaken.

"Oh,' morning Shun…" She greeted

"Good morning too" I responded "Can you wait for me to come back? I'll go ask my grandfather now about your stay with us."

"Alright, take care now."

I quickly turned around to hide my blushing. "Thanks. I'll be back in a later to fetch you."

I rushed home and told my grandfather about what happened yesterday. It took him a few moments to think about what to answer. Then he turned to me and counter why should Syphile stay with us.

"Because…" I answered. Now I know why I feel light with her. "I see my old self in her. And I don't want others to feel what I felt long ago. I don't want others to feel loneliness. "

"Well said there. You may bring her and let her stay; but she is your responsibility."

"Yes. I understand. Thank you."

I returned to the cave and fetched Syphile. Then I told her of my grandfather's approval. She seemed to be happy about that.

She stayed with us for a while. And in that duration, I noticed that my feelings for her a steadily growing. I can't help but feel guilty. It's like I'm cheating both Syphile and Alice.

What am I going to do? I love Syphile, but I can't deny that I still have feeling for Alice. People said that long distance relationships won't work. And I am just another one of those proofs.

Two years later

I heard a knock on the gate. I headed there to check it out. I peered in the slit in the gate and saw a lawyer standing outside. I opened the gate to ask what he wants.

"Good morning sir. I heard that a lady named Syphile stays here. Is that true?"

"Why? What do you want?" I answered

"I'm here to inform her about her inheritance."

"What inheritance?"I heard Syphile ask from behind

"Why don't we go inside?" I offered

"Thank you sir"

We headed inside and saw grandfather sitting in one of the chairs there. He offered the lawyer a seat. It looks like he heard what we were walking about outside.

"Now, as I was saying about Miss Syphile's inheritance"

"I thought that her family casted her out" I pointed out

"Well, yes. They did cast her out; but they never disinherited her."

"Why are you saying this to us?"She asked

"I hate to break it to you, but… You family… no, your entire clan…is murdered."

Silence filled the room as we tried to take in the information about her family. I took a glance at her direction and saw that she had bowed her head. I know that deep inside, she's trying to hide her emotions. Even though her family casted her out, one can't deny that it was family.

"So, what now?"My grandfather inquired

"According to the last will and testament, all of the fortune the entire family have accumulated is to be given to the last living child. Since no one else is a living blood relative aside from her, she now inherits the entire clan's fortune"

"Can you… give us some time for this?"Syphile asked

"Why, yes of course. Tomorrow, I will return to fetch you .If you will please excuse me…"The lawyer said.

"Wait! Who murdered her clan?" I asked

"No one knows… but the camera managed to catch the killer's suit. It was a black, hooded coat"

As the lawyer left, I noticed Syphile slowly proceed to her room. I waited some time before approaching her door and heard her mutter something about a clan experiment. I then knocked and asked her whether she was alright.

"Shun? Come in" She responded

I entered and saw her crying in her bed.

"I hated them, but I… I never wanted them to die!"She screamed as she continued to cry

"It's alright… "I said to comfort her as I sat next to her.

She suddenly planted her face in my chest and continued to cry. I hugged her tight in a comforting manner to ease her emotions. We stayed like that for a while until we fell asleep.

Next day

The lawyer came as expected. He brought a limousine to pick Syphile up. I saw Syphile ready to leave.

"Aren't you going to stop her?" Grandfather asked

"We already talked about this last night."I replied

As Syphile neared the limo, the man gave her an envelope. 'Probably the will and testament' I presumed.

"Miss Syphile Nashida, I now declare you the owner of the fortune of the Nashida clan "

Syphile then turned to us and bowed. "Thank you… For everything, especially for being my friend"

She quickly turned around to enter the limo, but too late to hide a single tear drop fall in her cheek.

As the limo drove away, I knew what I have to do.

"Besides," I continued my reply to grandfather "If you truly love someone, you must learn to let go."

"You've grown wise. I am proud that you have grown into a real man. Now, where have I heard about the Nashida clan?"

Flashback End

I looked my watch. I managed to pass twenty minutes.

"You appear a little parched, why don't we have a drink?"Syphile offered.

"Thanks" I said as we took a sip from the wine she presented.

"Ungh… I fell …dizzy" She managed to say before she passed out

Suddenly, I noticed that my body is feeling weak.

'No! I must stay awake.' I mentally kicked myself. However, the sleep was undeniable strong, and I soon succumbed into slumber

********************

"Where are you, Mark?" I thought as I waited in a dark room which he told me to stay.

He said that he'll go ahead and find a safe passage to the end of the tunnel while I stay. But it has been like, thirty minutes or something since he left. I'm starting to worry.

"Sorry to keep you waiting Alice" I heard from outside.

"Masquerade! But, where's Mark? And how did you manage to find me here?"

"I ran into him in a room with four doors. I almost fell into a trap door if he had not alerted me. He was carrying a rope and said something about you being in the Silver door. He asked me to guide you since he needs to find Dan. By the way, he said being sorry for making you wait since it took him a while. He also mentioned something about disarming the traps littering the entire passage."

"Oh… so that's what took him so long…Well, we better get going."

Masquerade and I continued to walk until we reached a door.

"I bet this is the end of the passageway"

"And so is the end of your journey" Dezyn said in his raspy voice. He emerged from shadows of the path that we just took.

"Now, I guess it's time we finish what we started earlier." Masquerade countered. "Alice, go inside the door. I'll handle this creature"

"But, Masquerade!"

"Don't worry. I'll be fine. What I worry about is your welfare"

I understood what he meant by that. I opened the door and went inside. I heard Dezyn's roar as I made it halfway. I didn't turn back but I continued to enter. Dezyn let out a cry of pain. Masquerade stopped it from attacking me and instead made it attack him. I closed the door behind me. I know that Masquerade can defeat the creature.

I walked forward in the new room. Suddenly, lights opened and I saw several chambers aligned in a circular pattern. A closer look made me realize that the chambers are holding my loved ones. I couldn't believe my eyes! Who could have done such thing?

Then another light opened and revealed an unimaginable sight. Syphile, the female with the white gown who was introduced as earlier evening, was passionately kissing…

Shun

End chapter 10: Past (Dezyn/ Shun/ Alice)